Rolling mill and method of forming flanged sections



July 7, 1925. 1,544,776

J. D. PUGH ROLLING MILL AND METHOD OF FORMING FLANGED SECTIONS Filed Oct. 2. 1919' 6 Sheets-Sheet '1 514 ue ntoz alimony;

J. D.- PUGH ROLLING MILL AND METHOD OF ORMING FLANGED SECTIONS July 7, 1925.

Filed Oct. 2. 1919 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 7,1925. 1,544,776

J. D. PUGH ROLLING MILL AND METHOD OF FORMlNG FLANGED SECTIONS Filed Oct. 2. 1919 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 X9 79 20 |l| |l|' 23 July 7, 1925.

J. D. PUGH ROLLING MILL AND METHOD OF FORMING FLANGED SECTIONS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 1919 Suva W01 July 7, 1925. 1,544,775

J. D. PUGH ROLLING MILL AND METHOD OF FORMING FLANGED SECTIONS Filed Oct. 2. 1919 e Sheets-Sheet 5 J. D. PUGH ROLLING MILL AND METHOD OF FORMING FLANGED SECTIONS Filed Oct. 1919 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 wuauto'z 2% A m M Amy/5m $3 Patented. July 7, 1925.

UNITED STATES JOHN D. PUGH, 0! HOUR! WASHINGTON, MARYLAND.

ROLLING HILL AND IE'IHOD OF FOBIING FLANGE) SECTIONS.

Application filed October 2, 1919. Serial Io. 327,870.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J om; D. Puon, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Mount Washington, county of Baltimore, State of Mar land, have invented certain new and use ul Improvements in Rollin Mills and Methods of Forming Flange Sections, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved method of and apparatus for rolling H-beams, I-beams, columns, or flanged beams of similar character having either one or two flanges.

Briefly stated, the invention consists in a method and apparatus contemplating the manufacture of blanks coming from a roughing mill in a substantially flat condition into H-beams, or beams having a'similar cross section b slitting the edges of the blank and bending ack in opposite directions, the two halves of the edges, and in finishing by passing the work through a rolling mill in which the web and the sides of the flanges are rolled upon each 0 ration of the mill, but the edges of the anges' are rolled alternatel By means of my invention. H-beam's.

and" anged sections are produced from flat blanks in a minimum of time, and the beams produced are reduced in cross section practically uniformly throughout their length andware free from internal strains.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention, and hereinafter describe the embodiment illustrated so that one skilled in the art will be enabled to fully understand and use the in vention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the flange forming mechanism;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fi ure 3 is an end view of the same looking rom the left in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlar d side view of the slitting saws, part of t e mechanism being shown in section;

Figure 5 is a plan view of one of the saws and the flange forming roller cooperating therewith;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an end view of the finishing unit of the mill;

- Figure 8 is an enlarged view of the finishing rollers showing a blank being passed through;

Fi re 9 is a similar view showin details of t e roller supporting and a justing mechanism; and

Fi re 10 is an enlar ed horizontal sectiona view of aportion o the housing showing inplan one of the boxes which supports a vertical roller.

The flange formin portion of the rolling mill is illustrated in lgures 1, 2,, 3, 4, 5 and 6 and comprises essentially three aligned housings 10, 11 and 12, containing mechanism for splittin of the op site edges or margins of the b ank B as 1t. asses therethrough, and in preparing t e same for finishing in the finishin portion of the mill, illustrated in Figures 8, 9 and 10. The housing 10 is provided with horizontal rollers 13, adapted to grip the blank posi-' tively and to feed the same through the three housings. The housin 10 also contains the first set of saws 14 an the first set of separatin rollers 15. Referring to Figure 4, it wi 1 be seen that the blank B passes horizontally between vertical shafts 16 upon which are mounted, in the same horizontal plane, the saws 14 and the wedged shaped rollers 15. The saws are splined to the shafts 16, and the rollers 15 are inhalves, one-half being on each side of a circular saw, and each half is rotatable relatively to the shaft 16 and to the saw 14, roller bear ings 17 and ball bearings 18 being provided to reduce the friction between the rollers and the shafts. The lower ends of the shafts 16 rest in suitable thrust bearings and the upper end of each shaft has mounted thereon a bevel gear 18 which intermeshes with bevel gears 19 on power shaft 20 connected to an engine or other source of power. From the drawings it can be seen that as the shaft 20 is rotated that the saws-14 will be rotated in opposite directions.

In operating the mill it is generally desirable to operate the saws in the'same direction that the blank B is progressin but they may be rotated in the opposite direction if thought advisable. The rollers '13 are rotated by a shaft 21 which is in turn connected to the engine shaft through a series of reducing gears indicated at R in the drawings. By properly proportioning the gear it can be arranged that t e speed of the saws exceeds the speed of, the blank by the proper cutting s d of the saws, which is the condition tofi desired. The rollers 15 being disconnected from shaft 16 are not the mill.

The housings 11 and 12 are similar to the housing 10 with the exception that no additional feeding rollers are used to force the blank along, although they may be provided if thought necessary. A series of guide rollers 22 of any desired form are positioned on the various housings to support and guide the blank in its position through the mill. .The saws 10 mounted in housings 1'1 and 12 are supplied with power from the shaft 20 by means of belts 23 and 24, clearly illustrated in Figure 1.

The two saws of housing 11 are set closer together than the two saws of housing 10,

and the saws of housing 12 are still closer together than the saws of housing 11. This arrangement is for the purpose of distributing the work of cutting or slitting the edges or margins of the blanks over the three sets of saws instead of having the first set per-' form the entire work, which might lead to their early destruction. One set of saws might, however, under some conditions, satisfactorily perform the work and the invention is not limited to the use of any certain number.

In forming flanges on a blank by means of the apparatus above, the blank B which is a plain flat blank with preferably thickened edges is passed in between and gripped by rollers 13 of the housing 10. passed between saws 14 of the housing 10 and these saws make aconsiderable kerf in each edge of the blank. Immediately following the making of the kerf, the edges of rollers 15 are forced thereinto and the two ortions of each edge of the blank, are forci ly pried apart as illustrated in Figures 4 and 6. The blank continues past the first set of saws and rollers, and in the second set of saws 14 cut a still deeper kerf in the edge of the blank and again the rollers 15 further separate the two portions or halves of each edge. The process of flange forming is completed by the saws and rollers in the housing 12 and the blank is taken from the flange forming mechanism to the finishing rollers, now to be described.

The finishing portion of the mill comprises a series of three horizontal rollers 25, 26 and 27 and four vertical rollers arranged in pairs 28, 28, and 29, 29, disposed in the same vertical plane and suitably supported in a housing 30 of usual construction. The pair of vertical rollers 28 are disposed op posite the ends of the line of contact of rollers 25 and 26 and the pair of vertical rollers 29 are similarly placed with respect to rollers 26 and 27. Roller 27 is mounted in suitable bearings and is immovable vertically relatively to the housing 30. The roll- It is then er 26 is vertically movable through a limited distance between rollers 25 and 27 and roller 25 is supported in journals 31 which are vertically adjustable. The downward adjustment of roller 25 is effected by moving the journal box supporting the same downwardly by means of the screw 32 which extends through the housing. Downward movement of this rolleris opposed by the action of a counter balance, not shown, which constantly tends to raise the same by drawing rod 32* and hangers 33 upwardly, thereby lifting the journal box 31.

Each of the vertical rollers is movable toward and away from the ends of the horizontal rollers, being mounted in a box 34 adjustable inwardly and outwardly by means of screws 35 which pass through nuts 36 loosely contained in openings 37 in the boxes. The boxes 34 are also free to move up and down through a limited distance in the housing 30.

When the blanks, having the flanges formed but not shaped, are received from the first unit of the mill, the rollers of the finishing mill are adjusted first to bend the flanges at substantially right angles to the web and then to get the desired dimension of the beam, the blank is passed between one set of rollers, for instance, between rollers 25, 26 and verticalrollers 28, as illustrated in Figure 9 of the drawings. The blank in this position is said to be goin through the upper pass of the mil% After passing through the upper pass, it is returned through the lower pass, or be tween rollers 26, 27 and 29, 29.

In going through the upper pass all of the exterior surfaces of the blank are in.

contact with, and are being rolled "by, the various rollers with the exception of the upper edges of the flanges and in returning through the lower pass all the surfaces are being acted upon with the exception of the lower edges of the flanges, as can clearly be seen in Figures 8 and 9. In other words, although both sides of the web and both sides of each flange are rolled at each passage of the blank through the mill, each edge is only alternately rolled and, the vertical rollers 28 and 29 extend in each case from the flanged edge being rolled upon, for some distance beyond the opposite edge of the flange to roll in any fin which may have formed on the corner of the beam in the previous rolling. This method of alternately rolling the edges of the flanges insures that the flange of the finishing beam is of exactly the proper shape.

To reduce the size of the cross section of the beam if desired, the beam is passed and repassed through the rollers just described and the horizontal rollers and vertical rollers alternately brought closer together to squeeze out metal of the beam,

decreasing-the cross section-and, increasing the length. While each of the vertical rollers must be adjusted separately, the distance between the horizontal rollers is varied by adjusting the top roller 25 alone,

as the roller 27 is vertically immovable and roller 26 merely rises and falls between roll-- ers "25 and 27, depending upon which pass the blank is passing through.

The' rolling milldescribedabove may be used not only in-the manufacturer of the H-beams illustrated in the drawings, but

.may also be used in manufacturingI-beams,

columns, rails or beams having one flange instead of two, by slightly modifying the shape of the rollers. The work involved in .preparmga bla'fllifoi" the mill is very slight, the blanks coming up to the flange forming -mechanism simply as flat plates .With thickened edges, and the work is carried through quickly andpthe product has a'uniform reduction in rolling through its blank, means for actuating-said rolls, means for rotating the saw in the'direction of movement of the blank; but at a higher speed, and means for entering the saw kerf.

and parting the portions of the edge of the blank .to form a flange.

2. In a rolling mill, in combination, rolls for positively feeding'blanks through said mill, a saw for slitting an) edge of said blank, means for rotating the saw, and means for entering the saw kerf and parting the portions, of the edge of the blank. to form a flange.

3. In a rolling mill, in combination, rolls for positively feeding blanks through the mill, a saw,for slitting an edge of said blank, means for actuating said rolls, means for rotating said saw, and a roller having a wedge shaped rolling surface adapted to enter the kerf made by the saw and part the portions of the edge of the blank, said roller being rotated by the blank as it passes through the mill.

4. In a rolling mill, in combination, rolls for positively feeding blanks through the mill, a saw for slitting an edge of said blank,-

means for actuating said rolls, means for rotating said saw, and a two part roller coaxial with said saw and having a wedge shaped rolling surface, one portion of said roller being on each side of the saw and the other pass.

closely fitting thereagainst so that the edges of the wedge shaped halves enter thesaw k'erf, said roller being rotated by the blank and independently of the saw for the purpose set forth.

5. In a rolling mill in combination, rolls for positively feeding blanks through the mill, a circular saw mounted alongside the path of travel of the blank and adapted to slit an edge thereof, means for rotating the rolls, means for rotating said saw and means for parting the portions of the edge of the blank to form a flange, said last men-' tioned means comprising a two part roller having a wedge shaped rolling surface, one portion of said roller lying on each side of" said saw and rotatable independently thereof. 7

6. In a rolling mill, in combination, rolls for positively feeding blanks through the mill, opposed circular saws mounted on op-" posite sides of the path of travel of the blank'and adapted-tosplit the opposite edges thereof as the blank passes through the mill, means for rotating the rolls, means for rotating the saws, and means for bending the portions of the sawed'edges of the blank to-form flanges, said last mentioned means comprising a two-part roller cooperatingwith each of said saws,- each roller having a wedge shaped rolling surface and being disposed coaxial with the corresponding saw and having its halves on opposite sides thereof. Y

7. In a three'highrolling mill for H- beams and flanged sections, rolls for rolling all of the beam surfaces except the upper edges of the flanges whenthe beam' goes through the mill in one direction and" for rolling 10f all the beam'surfac'es, except the lower edges of the'fflange s when'the beam goes through the mill in the opposite direction.

8. In a rolling "mill for 'H-beams and flanged sections, three horizontal rolls disposed in a vertical plane and four vertical rolls in said plane, one at each end of each pass, the rolls being so arranged that all of the beam surfaces except the'upper edges of the flanges are rolled when the beam is passed through one pass and allof the surfaces except the lower edges of the flanges are rolled when the beam is-passed through 9. In a three high rolling mill for flanged sections, a' plurality of rollers arranged to roll all of the beam surfaces excepting the .upper' edges of the flanges when thebeam is passed through one pass, and to, .roll all of-the beam surfaces excepting the lower edges of the flanges when the beam is, passed through the second pass.

10. The meth d of forming H-beams with flanges of uniform thickness. consisting in slotting by means of a sawthe opposite edges of the blank alongplanes midway between and parallel to the side faces of the blank,

and then bending and separating the portions of the severed edges.

11. In a three high universal rolling mill for flanged sections, in. combination, rolls for rolling the web, the sides of a flange, and one edge of a flange, when the beam goes through one pass, and for rolling the opposite edge of the flange when going through a different pass.

12. A three high universal rolling mill for flanged sections, having means for rolling one edge of a flange when the beam goes through one pass, and for rolling the opposite edge of the flange when going through. a different pass. 1

13. A three high universal rollingmill for flanged sections, having means for rolling the web and sides of a flange and for alternately rolling the edges of the flange of a beam.

14. A three high universal rolling mill for flanged sections, having means for rolling one edge of a flange of a beam at one point in the travel of the beam and for rolling the opposite edge of the flange at a second point in the travel of the beam.

15. A three high universal rolling mill for flanged sections having means for roll ing the web and one edge of a flange of a beam at one point in the travel of the beam, and the web and the opposite edge of the flange at another point in the travel of the beam.

16. A three high universal rolling mill for flanged sections having means for rolling in combination, means for cutting slots in the web, the sides-of a flange, and one edge of said flange, at one point in the travel of the beam, and for rolling the web, the sides of the flange, and the opposite edge of the flange, at another point in the travel of the beam.

17; A rolling mill for H-beams comprising a single stand of rolls having means for rolling the web, the sides of the flanges and the upper edges of the flanges at one point in the travel of the beam, and for rolling the web, the sides ofthe flanges, and the lower edges of the flanges, at another point in the travel of the beam.

18. The method of rolling flanged sections in a universal mill consisting in-rolling the web-and sides of the flanges at each pass and in rolling the edges of each flange alternately all in thesame stand of rolls.

19. The method of rolling flanged sections consisting in rolling the web and sides of the flanges and in rolling the upper edges of the flanges it one time and the lower edges of the flanges at a different time all in the same stand of rolls.

20. The method of forming a flanged beam consisting in forming a slot with parallel sides in the edge of the blank by a sewing operation and bending and separating the several parts of the edge.

21. The method of forming a flanged beam consisting in cutting a. slot having parallel sides in the edge of the blank and bending and separating the severed parts of the 22. The method of fabricating a flanged beam consisting in forming a slot with parallel sides in the edge of the blank by simultaneous cutting and spreading operations and then bending and separating the severed parts of the edge.

23. The method of forming a flanged beam consisting in cutting a slot in the edge of the blank, bending and separating the severed parts of the edge, and finishing the blank in a three high universal mill by rolling the web and sides of the flange, and rolling the edges of the flange alternately.

24. The method of forming an H-beam consisting in cutting slots in the opposite edges of the blank, bending and separating the severed parts of each edge, and finishing the blank in a three high universal mill by rolling the web and sides of the flanges, and rolling the edges of the flanges alternately.

25. In av rolling mill, in combination, a saw for slitting the edge of a blank, means for operating the saw, and means for entering the saw kerf and parting the severed portions of the edge.-

26. In a rolling mill, in combination, means for cutting aslot in the edge of a blank, and means for bending and separating the severed portions of the edge.

27. In a rolling mill for forming H-beams,

the opposite edges of the beams, and means for bending and separating the severed portions of the edge.

' 28. In a rolling mill, in combination, a plurality of saws for successively operating on the edges of a blank, said saws being arranged in pairs with the saws of each pair mounted on opposite sides of the path of travel of the blank so as to exert oppositely directed forces thereon in the cutting operation, the cutting edges of each succeeding pair of saws being closer together than those of the pair preceding so that the kerfs in opposite sides of the blank are successively deepened.

29. In a rolling mill, in combination, a plurality of saws for successively operating on the edges of a blank, said saws being arranged in pairs with the saws of each pair mounted on opposite sides of the path of travel of the blank so as to exert oppositely directed forces thereon in the cutting operation, the cutting edges of each succeeding pair of saws being closer together than those of the pair preceding so that the kerfs in opposite sides of the blank are successively deepened, and opposed devices adapted to enter the kerfs formed by the sawsto sep-' arate the severed portions of the edges.

30. In a rolling mill, in combination, a plurality of saws for successively operating on the edges of a blank, said saws being arranged in pairs with the saws of each pair mounted on opposite sides of the path of travel of the blank so as to exert oppositely directed forces thereon in the cutting operation, the cutting edges of each succeeding pair of saws being closer together than those of the pair preceding so that the kerfs in opposite sides of the blank are successively deepened, and opposed pairs of disk wedges adapted to enter the kerfs formed by the saws to separate the severed portions of the edges.

' 31. In a rolling mill in combination, a plurality of saws for successively operating on the edge of a blank to make a single longitudinal kerf therein, each succeeding saw projecting farther toward the center of the blank than the one preceding whereby a relatively deep kerf may be made.

32. In a rolling mill, in combination, a plurality of saws for successively operating on the edge of a blank to make a sin le longi tudinal kerf therein,- each succee ing saw projecting farther toward the center of the plurality of saws for successively operating on the edge of a. blank to make a single longitudinal kerf therein, each succeeding saw projecting farther toward the center of the blank than the one preceding, whereby a relatively deep kerf may be made and a disk wedge associated with each saw and adapted to enter the adjacent kerf to separate the severed portions of the edge.

35. In a rolling mill, in combination, a plurality of circular saws for successively operating on the edge of a blank to make a single longitudinal kerf therein, each succeeding circular saw projecting farther to- .ward the center of the blank than the one preceding, whereby a relatively deep kerf may be made, and a two part disk wedge coaxial with each circular saw and adapted to enter the kerf formed to separate the severed portions of the edge of the blank.

36. The method of forming. a flanged beam consistingwin longitudinally dividing the edge of the blank into two portions by simultaneously applying sawing and spreading forces, the spreading forces seperating the two portions of the edge and keeping these portions out of contact with the sides of the saw.

37. The method of forming a flanged beam consisting in longitudinally dividing the edge of the blank into two portions by simultaneously applying a rotary saw operating at high speed and a rotatable wedge device, and efi'e'cting a relative longitudinal movement between the blank and the saw and with the wedge device, the peripheral velocity of the rotary wedge being the same as the relative linear velocity of the wedge and blank, for the purpose set forth In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN D. PUGH. 

